


summer breeze

by luvsyong



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hotarubi no Mori e Fusion, Childhood Friends, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, Retrospective, the hotarubi no mori e fusion markhyuck au nobody asked for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:20:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28419768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luvsyong/pseuds/luvsyong
Summary: mark knows it’s summer when the breeze is warm, the leaves are their brightest shade of green, and when he sees donghyuck with a soft smile on his face.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	summer breeze

**Author's Note:**

> heavily based on the movie hotarubi no mori e fusion. you don't need to have watched it to understand this, but i recommend you go watch it. it's a really good movie!

donghyuck is summer. 

donghyuck is the feeling of eternal nights; donghyuck is the radiant sun that warms mark’s skin; donghyuck is the summertime joy that you can only experience once a year.

donghyuck is the only thing mark looks forward to when the weather gets too warm to wear anything but shorts, and it started when he was seven years old.

he had been reluctantly hauled to his uncle’s house for the summer, his parents saying it would be lots of fun. as one would expect, mark didn’t want to leave home, and didn’t want to leave all his friends to spend an entire three months in a historic village he’d never heard of. he had thought his summer would be spent running around in parks with his friends, not in vast fields and high mountains. either way, they still drove the long three hours to get to the humble village, and his uncle was more than overjoyed to see him.

mark even grew to enjoy the area. the magical stories his uncle told him breathed the place with life and gave the endless grass fields something more than the colour green. 

it was a small village, nestled on highlands beside endless somber and undisturbed forests. there were barely a thousand people who lived in the tiny community, and everybody knew each other. there was an unspoken rule that everybody knew, which was to never wander in the extensive forests. no matter how curious you were or how alluring the towering trees seemed, stepping inside would lead to a fate nobody wanted to know about.

mark’s uncle had even given mark a long lecture when mark had pointed at the glowing forests excitedly, stating that he should never enter them. when mark asked his uncle why, he answered with one word: _spirits_. whether they were actually there nobody really knew, and if they were harmless or dangerous, nobody knew either; didn’t risk it to go find out. 

mark followed those rules cautiously, making sure to play by himself at least a few meters away from the enchanted forests. 

that was until one day, when he'd had accidentally stumbled inside.

he’d spend the morning running around in empty grass fields and chasing different birds and animals, when he spotted a bunny. bunnies were mark’s favourite animal, and being an excited seven year old, he didn’t hesitate to follow it around. even when it had entered the prohibited forests. in fact, mark hadn’t realized he had entered the forbidden zone along with it, before the entrance was long out of his sight. 

the inside was anything but what the villagers had described it as; the sun shone brilliantly onto the tree leaves, flowers adorning the ground like pretty rhinestones. the birds sang louder than they did outside of the forest, and it felt _enchanting_.

“why are you here?” 

a silky voice pierced the silence, and mark turned around to see a boy with a mask on; a white mask with a cartoonish face drawn onto it. the boy looked much older than mark was, roaming over him in height with a skinny and lanky frame. 

“aren’t you human? how come you’re allowed in the forest?” mark asked curiously, disregarding the stranger’s question. the boy walked a little closer, turning his head to angle mark’s.

“i’m not human, silly,” the boy laughed heartily, his voice like honey. “you’re going to need my help to get out of here. follow me.”

seeing as he had no other choice, mark chose to follow the tall stranger. he went to grab at the boy’s hand, before the boy took a far step away from him. he uttered a disapproving noise.

“you can’t touch me, or i’ll disappear.” the boy said simply, but it merely served to further pique young mark’s curiosity. he ran towards the stranger and tried to touch him, but was only avoided with swift movements. eventually, mark was worn out enough after having chased the stranger around. his hands were on his knees, and he gasped for air.

“why?” mark asked. he couldn’t wrap his head around what the boy had told him as it simply didn’t make any sense to him.

“it’s a curse placed on me by the mountain god,” the boy explained. “if i ever touch a human, i’ll fade away, and i’ll never come back.” 

and with that straightforward explanation, mark understood, and from then on never attempted to touch the stranger anymore. with the mask concealing his face, mark couldn’t see what expression the stranger had on his face. the long-legged boy reached down to pick up a stick, offering the end of it for mark to hold. mark was content to be able to indirectly touch the stranger, feeling safe by his side.

eventually, after mark had finished bombarding the boy with questions, they had made it out of the forest. 

“thank you for helping me, i’ll bring a gift for you tomorrow.” mark said, smiling widely. 

“you’re coming back?” the stranger asked, sounding puzzled. 

“of course. what’s your name? i’m mark.” mark introduced. the stranger was silent, and after a few seconds without a response, mark started to walk away, shrugging. 

“donghyuck.” said the voice and mark turned around immediately. he expected to see the boy with the mask, but was instead met with nothing but the sight of broad trees.

“mark! how could you enter the forest?” mark’s uncle scolded, hitting the boy lightly on the head. 

“i didn’t get lost, did i? someone helped me out!” mark justly complained. his uncle’s angry eyes widened. 

“someone helped you? who?” mark’s uncle asked, frown fading with curiosity.

“a spirit. i think his name is donghyuck.” mark said, smiling widely. that was all he would say about the new friend he made, mouth sealed shut even when his uncle interrogated him. 

the following morning, mark was back in the magical forest again. donghyuck stood ahead of him, back straight and hands in his pockets.

“you’re back.” donghyuck said, sounding almost a little surprised.

mark grinned. “of course, i keep my promises, you know!” 

mark dug his hand around in his pocket, before he pulled out a beautiful flower; a sunflower. he handed it to donghyuck, careful as to not make direct contact with him. 

“thank you.” 

it was quiet for a little after that, before mark asked if donghyuck would play with him. to his pleasant surprise, donghyuck agreed, and they spent all afternoon running around under the blazing sun. by the time mark had fallen back onto the soft grass, out of breath, he had noticed the sun was beginning to set. he rushed home, making sure to tell donghyuck he’d be back the next day. 

and that was how mark spent all his summers after that; playing in the grassy fields with a kind spirit named donghyuck.

at the age of 12, mark had grown barely tall enough to reach donghyuck’s shoulders. he had been overjoyed. 

“i’m catching up to you, hyuckie!” he exclaimed joyfully. donghyuck kept his mask on, but mark was sure donghyuck was rolling his eyes underneath.

“not quite there yet.” donghyuck scoffed, but there was no bite to it. it was the playful banter that mark was used to. 

“why don’t you take off your mask?” mark asked, wanting to see donghyuck’s face. he had only seen it a few times, but the memory of what his face looked like was starting to wash away.

donghyuck stood still for a moment. “it makes me look more human.”

“you look human even with the mask off! please hyuck, i’m a middle schooler now. i’m mature, and i won’t touch your face or anything.” mark pleaded, getting more desperate by the second. donghyuck sighed and removed the mask, instantly revealing the angelic face hidden underneath. strangely enough, mark felt himself almost blush at the sight, shaking his head to snap out of it.

“see? you look just as human with or without the mask!” 

donghyuck smiled and mark was sure it was as illuminated as the sun. as usual, they devoted the entire day to having fun in the forest. donghyuck even expressed his earnest desire to go out in the village, but he knew it was an unrealistic wish of his. 

“what do you want, hyuck? i’ll buy it for you!” mark offered.

donghyuck thought for a second. “a stuffed bear. i want a stuffed bear.” 

and on the last day of summer, mark showed up, smile wide with a bear plushie in his arms.

“you’ll be here next year, right?” mark asked. though he could probably guess the answer, he still wanted a verbal confirmation from donghyuck.

“of course, mark. i’ll be here for you each and every year.”

at the age of 15, mark began to be questioned as to why he never stayed in his beloved hometown during the summertime. for him, it had always been a given that he’d be out of town. visiting his uncle and spending the summer with donghyuck had been something mark found himself looking forward to. 

“dude, you’re never home during the summer. what if i want to hang out with you?” jeno, his best friend, complained. 

mark sighed and laughed gently. “i guess you’ll have to wait a few months, then.” 

jeno groaned. “the whole summer with jaemin and renjun? come on.” 

renjun, who sat beside him, swiftly bonked his head. “why are you complaining? you’re blessed with my presence.” 

jeno glared at mark, as if to prove a point.

“yeah, jeno. you should be happy you can spend the summer with us!” jaemin giggled. 

“do you have a secret girlfriend or what? it seems like you’re always more excited to spend the summer there than here with us.” jeno asked, though it was mostly jokingly. his mild expression changed when he saw the way mark reacted; him having blushed a little.

“you do?” renjun gasped, and it was followed by more dramatic responses from jaemin and jeno. it was mark’s turn to groan, cheeks slightly flushed.

“no i don’t, you guys!” 

it was useless trying to convince his friends otherwise.

“yeah, all my friends thought i had a girlfriend or something!” mark complained, rubbing his eyes with his palms.

“you know, mark, you don’t have to come here every year.” donghyuck said, and mark looked at him like he had spewed nonsense.

“of course i do! i love hanging out with you, donghyuck, and i only get to spend time with you once a year.” mark sighed disappointingly, ending his sentence in a whine. a smile spread across donghyuck’s face.

“i know, i’m just the funnest person to be around.” donghyuck stated teasingly. 

mark groaned. “not you too!” 

at the age of 17, mark spent his last summer at his uncle’s house; his last summer before going to college in a different country. mark was terribly excited at the time, having been admitted to his dream school. when he remembered it meant he wouldn’t be able to visit donghyuck in the summer, he’d silently cried into his pillows for days and days on end. 

the ride to the peaceful village felt longer than it usually was, and it was probably because he was thrilled to see donghyuck. the outside was a green blur, something mark was used to. he barely even said a greeting to his uncle before sprinting off into the forest; a place he was oh-so-familiar with.

“hi.” mark said panting, and donghyuck appeared in front of him.

“why are you out of breath?” donghyuck asked cluelessly. 

“‘cause, i was excited to see you, obviously!” mark laughed, and it evoked a charming smile out of donghyuck; a sight mark could drown in. they both knew it was mark’s last summer in the forest, but avoided that topic like it was the plague. 

“there’s a festival tonight, mark. i think you should come.” donghyuck said, and mark’s eyes widened. 

“like a spirit festival?” he asked curiously.

donghyuck nodded. “of the sort. i mean, it’s a festival and spirits attend, so i guess you’re right.” 

the thought was a little intimidating to mark; attending a festival at night, with only spirits. the fear simmered away though, when he saw donghyuck's anticipating grin.

“i’m in.” 

by the time the festival came around, mark was sneaking out of his uncle’s house and running to the forest in eager anticipation. in fact, he thought he could almost hear the sound of cheers if he listened attentively enough. 

“you’re here.” donghyuck smiled and mark nodded fervently.

“where’s the festival, let’s go!” mark said, and almost reached out to grab donghyuck’s hand before pausing. he bit his lip. 

the festival looked like any human festival; in fact, all the spirits were disguised as humans and mark wouldn’t even have known if it weren't for donghyuck. there were food trucks all around, performances happening and fireworks being shot into the sky.

“wow, people really go all out for this, don’t they?” mark asked, silently in awe. 

donghyuck nodded. “it’s the one time of the year where all the spirits come together. it’s a big event for us.” 

donghyuck wordlessly pulled out a white piece of cloth and he carefully tied his and mark’s wrists together. 

“so you won’t get lost.” donghyuck smiled and mark practically melted. the night was spent with laughter and unalloyed joy; mark smiling until his cheeks ached. he hadn’t felt that type of joy in so long. 

when the night ended, mark and donghyuck walked alone in the forest, the stars glimmering above them. donghyuck stopped walking, and mark stopped too, due to having been bound together. donghyuck held up his mask and put it on mark, placing a chaste kiss to mark’s cheek through the barrier. mark’s face was burning when he saw it through the eye holes, and was glad the mask was covering his red face. 

mark didn’t have any time to savour it though, because someone ran past him and donghyuck, bumping into donghyuck’s shoulder as a result. mark took off his mask and smiled, ready to say something to donghyuck. until he looked at him. 

he was fading. 

in all the years that mark had spent with donghyuck, he had never prepared himself for that moment. he’d always told himself that no accidents would happen and that donghyuck would be there for him. _always_. so he didn’t know what to do when donghyuck started to disappear, like he said he would on the very first day they met.

“come here, mark.” donghyuck said, voice gentle, arms extended. mark jumped into his grasp, feeling warmth engulf him, before it disappeared a second later. mark was left clinging to clothes; pieces of flimsy fabric. 

he was crying, and the hot tears burnt when they slid down mark’s face. he hugged donghyuck’s clothes, hugged all the remnants he had left of him. he turned around to look at the donghyuck’s mask, the one he had dropped on the ground, and spotted glowing spirits hiding behind trees.

“thank you for taking care of donghyuck, and for setting him free.” they said in unison, voices enchanting. it was the only thing they said before fading into the dreadful darkness. mark cried even harder.

donghyuck was summer.

donghyuck was the feeling of eternal nights, the radiant sun that warmed mark’s skin, and the summertime joy that you could only experience once a year.

but even the most beautiful things have to come to an end. 

(“why do you have that mask hung up there?” renjun asks one day, looking at the mask on the wall.

a sad smile spreads across mark's face. “it reminds me of summer.”)

**Author's Note:**

> this was kinda word vomit !!! so sorry for any mistakes. after watching this movie and crying super hard i just thought i had to write this. some sad markhyuck :D <3 also i didn't use the major character death tag bc i didn't want to spoil anything, so sorry if u weren't expecting this ending hehe
> 
> kudos/comments are appreciated!! lmk what u thought :D!
> 
> 'til the next fic<3


End file.
